Ball State's Majok Majok steps up In Mid-American play

MUNCIE, IN -MajokMajok's raw talent is beginning to improve as he grabbed 21 points Saturday against Miami and won a Player of the Week award from the Mid-American Conference. It marks the second player-of-the-week award for Majok this season and the fourth for a Ball State player. Teammate Jesse Berry is also a two-time winner.

Majok, a junior forward, got the West Division nod for averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds in the Miami and Buffalo games. He shot 64.7 percent from the floor and 85.7 percent at the free throw line, a big improvement from recent games.

Actually, Majok and three other Ball State players got in double figures Saturday to beat Miami 82-62 which was the highest scoring game the Cardinals had yet. And at 2-4 in conference and 8-10 overall, the team is about the average of other MAC teams in the West and East.

And Majok will compete in the Geico Play of Year competition on CBS April 6 with other talented college stars. He won out from other players nominated the week of Jan. 2 when he slammed dunked a final shot against Norfolk State. That buzzer beater score won Ball State the game.

On Wednesday, Ball State plays Toledo that is 3-3 in the Mac and 7-10 overall. Their top scorers are Rian Pearson who averages about 18.2 points, and Julius Brown at 13.4 points.

On Saturday, Majok controlled under the basketball while his fellow starters actually stepped up and scored at key points to keep the Cardinals ahead and then blow out the game at the end. He got 13 and six rebounds in the Buffalo game after playing 19 minutes because of foul problems.

It was exciting to watch Ball State play as a team with guards Jesse Berry getting 20 and JuawanScaife adding 14. Forward Chris Bond also contributed 16 for an all around effort that showed Ball State could play the entire 40 minutes.

BSU Coach Billy Taylor told local radio commentators it was a long time in coming, given the Cardinal lost their last three MAC games, some with last minute missed free throws and turnovers.

Majok also has scored double figures in five straight MAC games. And he is one of 18 players in the nation averaging a double double for the season at 12.6 points and 10.1 rebounds a game.

Other Cardinals stepped up in the Miami game with Berry getting a career best of six 3-pointers while Scaife averaged 16 points for the two games while Bond averaged 12 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 steals.

Majok also was recognized as MAC West Division player of the week in December while Berry also got the recognition twice.

Ball State (8-10, 2-4 MAC) hosts MAC West foe Toledo for a 7 p.m. tipoff Wednesday at Worthen Arena. The Cardinals have three of their next four games at home.